A luxury resort owner has voluntarily demolished structures within Khao Yai National Park, marking the second such voluntary demolition following a final court order. The structures being demolished number eight items covering approximately 11 rai 3 ngan 28 square wah of land.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin announced that the government continues to verify land rights within Khao Yai National Park according to the 1997 park boundaries. The verification process for residents in zones 2 and part of 4 must be completed within six months to clearly distinguish legitimate residents from commercial encroachers and capitalist operators. This will protect affected residents' rights while strictly enforcing the law against violators in a transparent and fair manner.

According to a report from Arthapol Charunchansai, director of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the resort owner submitted a request on July 7, 2569 and began demolition on July 14-15, 2569. The case originated from an inspection on May 1, 2555 that found forest encroachment. The Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Court ruled on July 9, 2567 ordering complete demolition and requiring the owner to pay 300,000 baht in damages plus interest.

Pravatsatat Chanthep, head of Khao Yai National Park, reported the demolition is 50 percent complete and should finish by July 30, 2569. A related project at Imphubhill Resort is 70 percent complete, with delays caused by continuous rain. The park is preparing notices to 15 hotel and resort operators whose administrative court cases have concluded, ordering them to notify their intention to demolish structures within 15 days or face forced demolition by the park authorities.

The Zero Corruption taskforce, chaired by Pornpet Aramwattananond, is transitioning from the planning phase to practical implementation following the establishment of six core anti-corruption strategies for the private sector. The first coordination committee meeting is scheduled for July 23, 2026, to set concrete operational plans for the remainder of the year.

The taskforce will advance six key approaches: public awareness campaigns, strengthened anti-corruption policies, risk management, technology adoption, public-sector data disclosure, and whistleblower protection. All initiatives will coordinate across government, private sector, and academic institutions.

A major activity is a closed-door dialogue scheduled for August 5, 2026, at the Thai Justice Institute (TIJ), bringing together business representatives, government agencies, academics, and experts to candidly discuss corruption risks and solutions. The dialogue will focus on identifying pain points in each sector, learning from successful anti-corruption cases, and proposing policy commitments to create transparent organizations in both public and private sectors.

Parallelly, the taskforce is coordinating with public-private subcommittees to reform secondary laws that obstruct business operations under the Reinvent Thailand initiative. Proposed legal and regulatory improvements will be completed within two months to reduce hidden costs, limit discretionary authority, and increase government service transparency. Pornpet emphasized that reducing corruption requires streamlining procedures, eliminating redundancy, and cutting unnecessary discretion—not enforcement alone.

The private sector supports the government's goal to achieve OECD membership by 2027, as governance standards, transparency, and corporate oversight are critical to enhancing national competitiveness. The sector is committed to full cooperation, recognizing that raising governance standards builds investor confidence, reduces business costs, and strengthens Thailand's long-term competitive position.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited AgiBot, a leading Chinese robotics technology company, on July 17, 2025, in Shanghai to exchange knowledge on artificial intelligence and humanoid robots and advance Thailand's industrial, medical, and elderly care sectors.

The company develops comprehensive robotics technology including hardware, robotic operating systems, AI models, and training databases for diverse applications across manufacturing, logistics, services, and senior care. During the visit, AgiBot executives demonstrated the AGIBOT A3 robot wearing traditional Thai dress and greeting the PM in Thai, along with the AGIBOT X2 performing traditional Muay Thai demonstrations.

The PM received a briefing on AgiBot's three main robotics categories: humanoid robots designed for human interaction, industrial and warehouse robots, and specialized robots for patrol, security inspection, and commercial cleaning. Demonstrations included interactive robots capable of speaking Thai, retail robots, companion and rescue robots, calligraphy robots writing Chinese characters, and coffee-serving robots.

The Prime Minister stated that artificial intelligence and robotics technology play a crucial role in driving the global economy and represent a key target industry for Thailand. The government is committed to promoting investment in advanced technology, research and development, and digital and AI workforce development to enhance national competitiveness. He expressed confidence that collaboration between Thailand and leading Chinese technology firms will support knowledge transfer, workforce development, and the application of robotics technology in Thai industry and services.

AgiBot is China's leading humanoid robotics startup, backed by major global technology companies and investment funds. The company currently produces commercial-grade robots and ranks among the world's top humanoid robot manufacturers by delivery volume.

BANGKOK — Their Majesties the King and Queen on Thursday received Princess Anne, the Princess Royal of the United Kingdom, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, at Amphorn Sathan Residential Hall in Dusit Palace during the royal couple's official visit to Thailand.

The audience took place at 17:07 on 16 July, the first day of Princess Anne's two-day visit to the kingdom. The Princess Royal is the younger sister of King Charles III.

Earlier in the day, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy visited Chumchonmoobanpattana School in Bangkok's Khlong Toei district, where she presided over a sporting event organized by Save the Children under her patronage in partnership with the Liverpool FC Foundation and the British Embassy in Bangkok.

The royal couple later met Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at Government House before visiting the Grand Palace to pay their respects to Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, and Princess Bajrakitiyabha.

On Thursday evening, Princess Anne attended a reception marking the official birthday of King Charles III, hosted by the British Embassy at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok. During the event, she met with Thai and British business leaders, investors, government representatives and members of various organizations.

Princess Anne and Sir Timothy are scheduled to conclude their official visit on Friday with a series of engagements across Bangkok. The Princess Royal will first meet Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn before presenting scholarships and awards for women in science and technology at Chulalongkorn University.

She will then visit the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit at Mahidol University's Faculty of Tropical Medicine and officially launch the ASEAN-UK Health Security Partnership programme. Her itinerary also includes a visit to the Bangkok National Museum to view an exhibition on Thai-British historical relations, as well as the royal chariots, palanquins and funeral carriages prepared for the upcoming royal cremation ceremonies of Queen Sirikit and Princess Bajrakitiyabha.

The visit will conclude with a Thai-British cultural performance and a stage production based on a literary work by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) at the National Theatre.

British Ambassador to Thailand Mark Gooding said Princess Anne's fourth visit to Thailand reflected the long-standing and warm relationship between the United Kingdom and Thailand, as well as the important role played by the two royal families in strengthening bilateral cooperation.

Princess Anne previously visited Thailand in 1972, 1979 and 1987.

Indian fortune teller arrested over illegal work in PattayaLegacyAn Indian fortune teller in Pattaya was arrested yesterday, July 16, after Tourist Police accused him of working without a permit and allegedly charging tourists for fortune-telling and spiritual rituals. Following complaints from residents and tourists, Tourist Police investigated reports that a group of South Asian men, particularly Indian nationals, dressed in religious-style clothing, were approaching visitors across Pattaya. According to police, the men allegedly told tourists they were experiencing misfortune or bad luck before offering fortune-telling sessions and blessing rituals in exchange for payment. The group typically handed victims items such as red strings, sacred cloths or paper bearing lucky numbers to build credibility before requesting a “teacher’s fee” starting at 199 baht. Customers were then allegedly encouraged to pay several thousand baht for additional rituals intended to remove bad karma. Some people, police added, reported being pressured or intimidated into paying after initially refusing the offers. Photo via Amarin TV At about 1.20pm yesterday, officers inspected a coffee shop in Pattaya and found 36 year old Singh, an Indian national, allegedly providing palm readings, face readings and fortune-telling services to tourists. After gathering evidence, officers identified themselves and inspected Singh’s passport and work permit, which revealed he did not hold a valid work permit. Two tourists told officers that Singh approached them, claiming they were suffering from bad luck before offering fortune-telling services and requesting a 199 baht teacher’s fee. Both said they transferred 200 baht before Singh allegedly offered a further cleansing ritual for 1,900 baht, which they declined because they did not have enough money. Photo via Amarin TV Singh was taken into custody and charged with working in Thailand without authorisation and working without a valid work permit. He was handed over to investigators at Pattaya City Police Station for legal proceedings. Amarin TV reported that Singh admitted he had been working as a fortune teller, police said. Tourist Police urged residents and visitors to be cautious if approached by strangers claiming they are suffering from bad luck, inviting them to participate in blessing or karma-cleansing ceremonies, or requesting money for spiritual services. Anyone with information can contact the Tourist Police hotline on 1155, available 24 hours a day. The story Indian fortune teller arrested over illegal work in Pattaya as seen on Thaiger News.

The Public Health Ministry has moved to clear the air over its hiring of community nurses (ASP), reaffirming that the role is meant to support, not replace, professional nursing staff. The controversy erupted when the ministry announced plans to recruit 7,256 community nurses for training, while approximately 7,000 professional nurses in the system remain temporary employees.

Health Minister Pattana Prom-Pattana stated that hiring community nurses does not aim to substitute for professional nurses but rather to strengthen the health team's capacity to deliver continuous essential care to communities. The two roles cannot be compared directly, he said.

Community nurses will focus on four key patient groups: homebound and dependent patients, those with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mothers and children, and patients with mental health and substance abuse issues. This creates a systematic, rapid-response community care model.

Selection criteria vary by educational background: general bachelor's degree holders (up to age 65) undergo 240 hours of training; health science graduates (up to 65) complete 120 hours; and licensed health professionals such as nurses, doctors, or community health workers (up to 70) undertake 30 hours. Provincial selection committees with representatives from various sectors will review qualifications, and performance is evaluated annually. Top performers (top 10%) gain benefits like nursing degree study opportunities, while the bottom 10% receive warnings and their contracts end after two years.

Addressing concerns about professional nurses still awaiting permanent positions, Dr. Suphachoke Wetchaphanit, head of the Public Health Ministry's inspection team, confirmed the ministry has implemented systematic multi-faceted solutions. The ministry is accelerating the permanent hiring of over 5,842 medical and nursing personnel to ensure job security and reduce temporary and daily-wage nursing positions.

Of this total, 4,525 professional nurse positions are being filled, with completion targeted for September 2569 (2026). Many units have already processed over 40% of appointments. Additionally, the ministry is requesting allocation of 8,642 new civil service positions in ongoing discussions with the Civil Service Commission (CSC). The CSC has requested supplementary data from the Public Health Ministry, including distribution of professional nursing positions across health zones, five-year production and attrition statistics for nurses, and proposed improvements to job classification and senior-level nursing positions.